Woodward sees potential for this Ranger to be ‘one of the top right-handed hitters’ in MLB
The time has come to go home.
My 4-year-old daughter says so, and, believe me, what she says goes.
But the Cactus League schedule also says that, with the Texas Rangers down to their final six games in Arizona. Two of those are Thursday, and the one Sunday will have either no major-league players in it or maybe a pitcher or two.
The rest of the team will be in Nashville for an intrasquad game to break in their new Triple A affiliate. The next stop would be Texas.
Some players learned Tuesday that they won’t be on the Opening Day roster. More decisions are ahead, but it’s getting clearer as to which way the Rangers are headed.
Here’s the Surprise Five from Tuesday and a 3-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.
1. The final roster projection by the Star-Telegram was blown up less than 18 hours after it was posted.
Matt Davidson has been told he won’t make the team. Our final guess had him as one of two extra infielders, but that ship sailed fairly early Tuesday morning as general manager Jon Daniels announced the he and four others were told they won’t be on the Opening Day roster
The other four – catchers Jose Trevino and Jett Bandy and infielders Nolan Fontana and Chase d’Arnaud – don’t rate as surprises. Davidson does after his fast start to the Cactus League schedule and the intrigue of his ability to pitch.
But he has been squeezed off to work on his hitting, a decision that all but clinches a bench spot for veteran infielder Logan Forsythe, who can play all four infield spots. Danny Santana can also join him on the roster and technically so can Willie Calhoun and Zack Granite.
All three might need Joey Gallo’s right groin strain to turn into a broken pelvis, but that would benefit only one of them. A lingering strain that prevents Gallo from playing center would also do the trick, as would the Rangers going with a seven-man bullpen.
That is looking less likely, with Daniels admitting that he favors protecting the pitching staff rather than having an extra position player.
While that could be trouble for Santana, Calhoun and Forsythe, that could be an opening for right-hander Jason Hammel, Rule 5 pick Jordan Romano, or two from the group of the three left-handers bidding for a rotation spot – Jeffrey Springs, Brett Martin and Kyle Bird.
Players who can opt out of their minor-league deals, and any possible retention clauses, will be dealt with Saturday. Hunter Pence, Forsythe, Hammel and Santana fall into that group.
More answers to the remaining roster questions are coming.
2. Throw out the prospects rankings. Manager Chris Woodward says that the Rangers will have a player in the minors to start the season who might be only a few seasons away from being one of the elite right-handed hitters in baseball.
Those were the words Woodward used in talking about Davidson only minutes after telling the corner infielder that he isn’t going to be on the Rangers’ Opening Day roster.
It isn’t fair, Woodward said, to ask a player going through a major swing overhaul to keep improving with limited at-bats. Davidson needs to play every day to continuing developing a swing that Woodward believes can make him an elite player.
Ray Davis better figure out a way to get his wallet unstuck from his pocket to pay Davidson.
“He’s close,” Woodward said. “He’s close, and I’ve told them this many times: He’s close to being very, very … I wouldn’t just say a good big-league hitter. He’s got ability that not a lot of guys have. He’s really dug into a lot of mechanical things, and he is really close to being an elite hitter.
“I’m really looking forward to see him get consistent at-bats and see what he can do with it. I look at him from a batting standpoint right now, and I think how close he is to being really really exceptional. So, I don’t think his future as a pitcher is as bright as his future as a hitter. From a hitting standpoint, I would not be surprised in three or four years if he’s one of the top right-handed hitters based on what I’m seeing on his ability and as committed as he is to working on things. He’s really open to becoming elite.”
It would be a remarkable turnaround for Davidson, who has shown an ability to hit for power in the majors but owns a .226 career average. He also turns 28 next week.
But the Rangers believe in their data and they believe in the guy, and they believe the guy believes in himself. The Rangers also believe in late bloomers, primarily because of Nelson Cruz.
A Davidson batting practice, Woodward said, is Gallo-esque. Cruz takes an impressive BP.
It’s elite power. After Cruz didn’t make the team in 2008 and cleared waivers, he changed his swing at Triple A Oklahoma City and became the Babe Ruth of Triple A. He could also hit a little.
Maybe that’s what Davidson will find this season in Nashville.
3. The two Rangers starting pitchers who have only minimal medical concerns have pitched the past two days.
One, Opening Day starter Mike Minor, didn’t allow a run Monday, albeit over 3 1/3 innings, and wasn’t very happy. The other, Lance Lynn, worked five scoreless innings Tuesday before two inherited runners scored after he exited.
Minor has issues with his fastball command against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He said it was cutting too much, but his slider and changeup allowed him to keep the Dodgers from scoring.
The mechanical issue that caused his fastball to dance more than usual is an easy fix before he makes the first season-opening start of his career.
“Terrible, but it was good that I had to go through that and battle, and they didn’t score,” Minor said. “Going into the season, I know that wasn’t the one I wanted. I felt like I was battling through it and had to make pitches.”
Lynn was pleased with his work against the Brewers, though he found areas where he needs to improve. He didn’t care for the two walks over the first five innings or the hit batsman to start the sixth.
Lynn, though, struck out nine and allowed only four hits before hitting his pitch count.
“It went well,” the right-hander said. “There are some things I’m still working on. I’m still trying to get command of certain pitches where I want them to be effective. Today, as good as it was, I still had three free passes. If I get those taken care of, I’ll be all right.”
Lynn said he doesn’t care where he lands in the rotation, and it is possible he is the No. 3 starter to open the season. Possible No. 2 starter Edinson Volquez pitched Monday in a Triple A game, allowing four runs (three earned) in four-plus innings. Two of the runs scored on an inside-the-park homer in the fifth.
The Rangers are considering swapping Lynn and Volquez to break up the three Tommy John pitchers. They are on the same schedule now, and Volquez and Lynn are not going to go to Nashville on Sunday so that they can get another start before the season either Sunday against the Royals or in a minor-league game.
“As long as you make all your starts throughout the year, you’re going to have 30-plus starts,” Lynn said. “It really doesn’t matter.”
4. Gallo spent ample time Tuesday morning in the batting cages, lending more proof to his insistence that his groin injury isn’t serious and continues to improve.
The left fielder said that he spent time in the cages Monday in addition to playing catch and running on an underwater treadmill. He did everything without any issues.
It remains uncertain when he will return to the lineup, but he might be done in Arizona. One plan he has in mind is to play Sunday at Nashville and Monday and Tuesday against the Cleveland Indians at Globe Life Park.
He wants at-bats to get back in a groove before the March 28 season opener against the Chicago Cubs.
First baseman Ronald Guzman (left knee) is also improving. He is a candidate to return to his post at first base Wednesday.
5. Granite continues to make the most of his playing time, and club brass has taken notice in the two weeks since acquiring him in a trade with the Minnesota Twins.
The speedy outfielder collected two singles against the Brewers, pushing his average with the Rangers to .353, and two steals, giving him four. He last played Sunday, turning what looked like a single into a double and quickly scoring a run.
He made a diving catch after replacing Delino DeShields in center field.
The hustle, instincts and competitiveness have impressed Woodward. Granite, who is on the 40-man roster, is also still in spring camp and hasn’t been told if he’s going to Nashville.
He probably is, considering what was mentioned earlier in the Surprise Five, but don’t be surprised to see him with the Rangers at some point if DeShields needs time on the injured list.
Carlos Tocci would be another option, but Granite is his equal defensively, faster and just seems like a better player at this point.
“He’s been good,” Woodward said. “He’s a good ballplayer.”
This story was originally published March 19, 2019 at 7:17 PM.